Divine Intimacy Radio

Divine Intimacy Radio is a haven of rest and wellspring of spiritual life for those seeking intimacy with God and the enlightened path of Catholic mystical and ascetical wisdom.
Weekly we will explore topics like prayer, spiritual direction, meditation, contemplation, holiness, and much more.

A caller asked about the practice of yoga and it's link to potential demonic activity. Dan and Melissa discuss a Catholic perspective on yoga, including the opinions of an exorcist and theologians. They also provide suggestions on alternatives to yoga for faithful Catholics.

Show notes:

Fr. Fortea, an exorcist and expert on possession, says that if you do not have the intent for a malevolent force engage with you it is unlikely to happen.

Many say yoga is just stretching and for them there is no spiritual element - is this ok?

Can you practice yoga if you are strong in your faith? Should you?

Many of us need to stretch - it's good for our health. Also, people who practice yoga extoll its calming benefits. What can we, as Catholics, do that won't endanger souls? Are there alternatives to yoga which are solidly Catholic?

Cardinal Ratzinger wrote "Letter to Bishops of the Catholic Church on Some Aspects of Chrisitian Meditation" in 1989. In it he warned against practices which bring about a false peace, and psychic state damaging to the soul.

Easter is upon us!. Rejoice in the triumph of Christ! On this edition of Divine Intimacy Radio, Dan and Melissa discuss the Glory of the Resurrection and the dramatic changes that it brought about in the lives of His disciples.

Show Notes:

Rejoice! It's holy to be joyous. There is no spiritual depth without joy. When the Apostles were be persecuted for the sake of Christ they rejoiced.

Easter is a foreshadowing of heaven. Life is one long purgation. The greater the suffering here on earth, the more glorious heaven will be. Lent is a season of purgation. The harder we dig in and work at lent, the more meaningful Easter will be.

In times of suffering where do we find joy? The only true joy we'll ever find in this life is through Christ. Redemption has been accomplished - all we need to do is cling to Him.

The world says happiness is in the pursuit of the desires of the flesh. The opposite is true. Christ teaches that true joy comes when we give ourselves up for others and for God.

There are two things we need to access God. One is humility, which comes either by choice or external circumstances. Humility is required, but not sufficient. We also need the grace of God to roll back the stone to help us see that he is risen. He is risen for our salvation and risen within us that we may have a relationship with Him.

Simon Greenleaf, a well know lawyer and expert on testimony and evidence, wrote a book The Testimony of the Four Witnesses. In it he used the standards of legal evidence to show the Gospels were true beyond a reasonable doubt.

The reality of the Resurrection is that lives were changed. The New Testament reveals the weaknesses of the Apostles. Pre-Resurrection there were many instances of cowardice, denial, and desertion - Peter was even called Satan. Post-Resurrection Peter becomes a hero, asking to be crucified upside-down because he was not worthy.

The Apostles, after the Resurrection and the Pentecost, had a chance to run and escape death. Instead they subjected themselves to prison, beatings, and stonings. In the face of death they fearlessly proclaimed Christ. They gave everything, including their lives, in affirmation of their faith. Would anybody die for a lie?

Imagine we all have a spiritual dashboard, similar to a car, with gages - joy, evangelism, holiness, etc. If the gages are not registering high numbers, something is wrong. Barring spiritual issues, like purgation or dark night, you should have joy, peace, a sense that God is with you. Work on it!

Celebrate Easter. Have a feast. Partake in the sacraments. Indulge in the good things you gave up for lent, and leave the bad ones behind. Above all, Rejoice!

Don’t forget to tell your friends about the show and help us get the word out. If the show is inspiring to you and you would like to help us make it a daily show, please click here to donate. All donors will receive a signed copy of your choice of Dan’s new books, Finding God through Meditation, 30 Days with Teresa of Avila, or Navigating the Interior Life.

A beautiful way to meditate on the Lord's Passion is to watch Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. Consider making it an annual part of your lenten journey.

Show Notes:

Viewing the movie will help to put you into the scene where you can experience Our Lord's Passion in a spiritual way. It can become an encounter with God.

Put aside objections you may have regarding Mel Gibson's personal issues. What's important is that the film is true to the story of the Passion. God uses broken instuments for His good purposes, as He uses us all. Note that Caravaggio, the great artist known for illustrating stories from the Bible, was a scoundrel and possibly a murderer. Yet his works are great inspirations.

Dan recalls interviewing Mel Gibson about The Passion of the Christ. They discussed the use of flashbacks in the film. The flashbacks are intended to provide some relief from the pain and agony that dominate the film. Some flashbacks are of lighter, more tender moments between Jesus and Mary that reveal His humanity and the love between mother and son. Other flashbacks are of the Last Supper and the love Jesus had for the Apostles.

Some people may have an aversion to watching the movie due to the brutal reality of it. It may be difficult, but it's just a movie! It ends! Dan's first inclination on seeing the movie was to be angry at the Roman soldiers for what they did to Jesus. Then he became aware of his (and everyones) participation in Christ's suffering through sin.

The movie shows us the truth in the prediction for Mary that "a sword will pierce through your own heart also". Melissa tells of the experience of having a child in distress and how she can relate, although in a small way, to Mary's suffering. She is reminded of the experience of her husband's suffering during the difficult birth of her second child. This being only a fraction of Mary's suffering, as she was perfectly united with Jesus.

There is a scene in the movie where Mary and Jesus are physically separated, Mary on one floor and Jesus on the floor below. Through their supernatural bond she knows where He is and how He is suffering. The movie helps us to look a Jesus through the eyes of Mary, which is what praying the Rosary is really all about.

A story from a book on the filming of the movie by Fr. Bartunek is about shooting the Veronica scene. It was a very difficult scene to shoot and required several takes. The actress who played Veronica had done so many takes and retakes, each time looking on the face of Jesus. She entered into her own meditation, actually entering into the scene while acting, breaking down crying. There are several miraculous stories from the people involved in making the movie.

A recommendation: Watch The Passion of the Christ on Good Friday evening. Watch as a family, begin with a prayer. Watch with no distractions, no breaks. Afterwords - no discussion. Just go to bed, as the Apostles did. Let God work in your heart.